Out of the ash
by machete227
Summary: Bato's journey in prison. Because I don't think there's enough Bato fanfics. Soon I'm doing a total overhaul on this VCuz I realized it sucks.
1. Chapter 1

A gust of cold wind hit Bato's face as he stepped into the dim light of Lel'Ouinla Pe'Mera Afrikti. The shackles on his wrists and ankles were tight and freezing. He never knew the fire nation to have such cold weather. The gaurds behind him pushed him roughly to a group of other prisoners. He was surprised they weren't in a line. A tall, thin woman stepped through the doorway and into the tiny, dimly light room.

"So this is our sorry group of war prisoners." Her voice wasn't as powerful as he'd expected. "That's just sad. I should tell you that I am Warden Quinne, and you will obey my orders or die. Just like that."She pointed out the only window in the room where dull, grey light glowed through. A large machine towered over the prison, Black plumes of smoke piled out. "So welcome," Warden Quinne grinned malevolently. "To Lel'Ouinla Pe'Mera Afrikti, The prison of the dead." She laughed evilly. "Have fun." She turned on her heels and walked out as silently as she came.

"Alright, swine!" A big guard's shout filled the room and reverberated through the hallway. "Follow us." the guards led Bato's group down the hallway to yet another tiny, windowless room. "Sit!" one of them commanded. Some people walked in with needles and ink. A Brunette woman walked up and sat parallel to Bato. The look in her eyes told him she was a prisoner, too.

"Name, please."

"I'm Bato, Ma'am." She nodded and looked at her list, then dipped her needle in the ink and tattooed on his right wrist 'BW230448'. Then he was commanded to wait against the wall for the others.

"Out to the yard with you all!" Screamed a guard with a scar down the side of his face. It started at the outside corner of his eye and ran all the way down to his jaw.

The group stepped outside after the guard with a scar took off their cuffs. The sky was dark grey. Ash blew out of the smoke stacks of the machine Warden Quinne pointed out, along with what Bato could've sworn was bits of bone. The bone-ash mixture cut into his skin before blowing onto the ground. He saw the body of a little girl, carelessly thrown into one of the many dirty puddles of acrid-smelling, ash soaked water. The whole place reeked of rotting flesh and death. Taking a look around, he met too many of the empty, emotionless eyes of the still living prisoners.

" 'ello!" A lively voice sounded from below him and he looked down to meet the eyes of a tennage girl a few heads shorter than he. She had auburn hair and dark cream-colored eyes. Every visible part of her body was soaked with ash, dirt and, yes, maybe even blood. "Yure new 'ere." She observed. "And I cin tell yure a bit frightined by tse appearance of this pris'n. Come," She motioned toward a group of people sitting in a circle around a tiny fire. "You shood meet ma welcoming comitee."

She led him over to the group, they looked up at the girl and smiled in greeting.

"Hi, Riteki, who's yure friend?" a man with shoulder length, curly, jet black hair of about 20 spoke up first.

Before she could open her mouth and admit she didn't know,, he stepped forward and spoke up. "I'm Bato, it's nice to meet you all."

" Likewise."

"Ba to, lemme intraduce you ta ma friends." _These people talk weird. _Bato thought. This Riteki just said his name as two separate words. " This is Felix," She said, pointing to a red-headed girl. "She's the only one frum tse Fire Nashon. Isn't that cool?"

_Those damned guards took my weapons away. _Bato thought as he reached for his machete which he soon realized wasn't there. "Yes. Exciting." he said grudgingly.

" 'nd this is Esperanza, she's frum Mori clan. Her name means ' Hope'." She motioned to the girl that sat next to the first to speak. "She's married to Re'Ontredel, tse leader of my clan, Oui'frie. They 'ave two twin boys, Takimune and Tsume." She showed him the black haired man that spoke first sitting behind two twin boys that looked just like him. There's also Az'Lisla, Albericouque, and Xwalacoxihuatl, she's a sun warrior!"

"You can call me Xwala."

"Wait, I've never heard of a nationality that comes in clans." Bato said, confused.

"Yeh, we're mindbenders." Riteki explained.

"Never heard of it."

"No, I'm sure you haven't." Re'Ontredel said. "Fire Lord Ozai put us all here, he doesn't want the world to know we exist. A mindbender can brainwash you, so we can overthrow him"

" Tse Oui'Frie clan is tse largist, and closest ta tse Fire Nashon, culturally. There's soe many of us, even tse pris'n is in our language!" Riteki informed.

Bato started to like these people after he talked with them for a while. They were a bit more lively than they had a right to be, and he liked their attitude. They made it easier to stay at the prison. But they were ignorant of the hope the world had. They thought the fire lord would take over the world, and that would be it. He told them the Avatar was alive, at first they didn't believe him, but eventually they got comfortable and excited about the idea. They thought it was amazing he came from the southern water tribe.

He learned things from and about them, too. He learned that Riteki was only 14. He learned that Felix was mute, she couldn't talk and she had to sign to do so, though she could hear just fine. He learned that his tattoo was his new identity to the guards and Warden, but to them, he was still Bato. Or in Riteki's case, Ba to.

"It's getting' lait." Riteki gazed up at the darkening sky. "Ba to, you cin sleep in me, Esperanza, Lisla, and Albericouque's block. We 'ave room since our last pers'n, Ramona, just recentlie went up tse stacks." She pointed at the same machine warden Quinne pointed out and bowed her head."May she rest in peace." Riteki, Lisla and Albericoque led hi m over to a huge tower of concrete blocks with one end ope on each. Esperanza stayed behind with her family.

"Our block's up there." Albericoque pointed up to the top most block in the right corner.

" It's... it's pretty small, you all fit in there?"

" We stack in a pyramid-like thinge, it isn't uncomm'n. It's probly fur tse better, if ya think it's cold now, wait 'till dark." Riteki explained. "You may have to bend your knees." she joked.

"Well, come on, you two, standin' there ain't gonna get you up to the block." Albericoque said, holding out his hand, and helping Riteki up. It was sketchy climbing, and slow going so Bato couldn't help but realize all the people who seemed sick. And dead.

" 'ere we are!" Riteki said, settling herself in corner. "Ba to, you cin sleep anywhere."

Too tired to say anything, Bato lay down next to Riteki.

"Hey, Riteki?" He said tentatively.

"Mmmm?"

"How'd someone like you end up in a place like this?"

She turned her head and met his eyes sorrow crossed hers. "I wuz born 'ere." She turned back and didn't look at him the rest of the night.


	2. Chapter 2

Bato was the last to get up, and Riteki was right, it was freezing. He felt his stomach rumble and clutched it. _I need to find some food. _He crawled out of the block and almost fell to his death, nearly forgetting that he was 50 feet in the air. He meandered around the camp for a few minutes until he found the crew he met yesterday.

"Mornin' Ba to!" Riteki gave him a bowl of food that he couldn't identify, but he was grateful for it anyway.

Albericoque sniffed. "He should learn to take care of 'imself." He said.

"Don't listen ta 'im, Ba to. 'e thinks yore weak, 'cuz yore new. But ya won't be fur long, taday I'm gonna show you around s'm more! And teach ya tse ways of this pris'n."

"Pick yure feet up, Ba to! I've got lots ta show you!"

"Riteki, I was wondering... what happens when you run out of room in the blocks?"

Riteki stopped dragging him around and looked around. "Some of the less fortunate later entries must sleep on the ground, with the decay and ash. And if they are not willing to do that, they are killed." Bato later realized that this was the first time Riteki had spoken normally. He didn't believe 'fortunate' could quite describe anyone in this prison. "It is sad, very sad, what we must endure."

"And that's just how I like to keep it, Riteki." A laughing voice sounded from behind them. They both turned to see Quinne, standing net to a quite odd looking fellow.

" Who's that, Quinne?" Riteki asked with every bit of fake curiosity she could muster.

" This is Warden Tuin Li, from the Boiling Rock. I expect you all not to kill him." The Boiling Rock Warden didn't look too comfortable with the concept of that situation.

"You needn't worrie 'bout us Quinne. You'd better keep yure eye on dem Rantiki's, though they'd kill 'him in a 'eartbeat."

"Aw, Riteki, is that really how you feel about us?" Three tough-looking people stepped out from behind a mound of ash. One girl, the other two, men.

"Stay out of this Rantikis!" Quinne snapped. They all looked at each other and walked away, grumbling to themselves.

" Warden Tuin Li is staying here for the night. And you're staying with him."

"What?"

Quinne just laughed and walked away.

"What was that all about?" Riteki looked at Bato like she forgot he was there. She probably did.

"Warden Quinne used to be one of us, an Oui'Frie, a prisoner. But she turned her back on us."

"How'd she become Warden."

"I'll say she's went around the block a few times."

"And the Rantikis?"

"Them 'r jus' jerks." Riteki chuckled.

After the little fiasco, Riteiki showed him everything. Where to get food, where to stay away from, and where to go if you wanted to lessen your chance of dieing. She told him how to act around the guards, and how to treat minor cuts, wounds and sickness with the tools and materials in the camp. Bato told Riteki about his life before prison, and she seemed immersed in it. He told he about his best friend, Hakoda. And about Katara, and how much Riteki reminded him of her.

"She mus' be very prettie." She commented.

" Your not looking forward to tonight, are you Riteki?" Bato asked around midday.

"It doesn't matter if I want it ta 'app'n 'r not, Ba to. It's gonna." Riteki smiled. "Don't worrie 'bout me. I've ben through werse. It'll only be a nite. 'e's gotta git back ta 'is own pris'n ta receive some nue prisn'rs."


	3. Chapter 3

Chilly, acid rain fell from the always overcast sky. It had been 4 days since Bato's arrival at the prison. He was getting used to the flow of what went on on a daily basis. He did as he was told, and wasn't killed for it. Each day he became closer to Riteki and her friends. No, they were his friends too now. He stuck close to Riteki as often as he could. Those Rantikis, Serli and Calamity, and their ringleader, Ash, bullied her quite often. He learned that Ash was half fire nation and half water tribe.

His water tribe mother was raped by his fire nation 'father'. He grew up real troubled, and ended up here. Serli and Calamity were here because they were mindbenders.

"Oh my God!" Someone squealed. Everyone in the camp gasped and murmured.

"What is it?" He whispered to Riteki.

"Look." She pointed up at the balcony that over looked the whole camp. On it was Quinne standing with, of all people, Fire Lord Ozai.

He looked back down to Riteki, but she was gone.

"So," Warden Quinne began. "It's an Oui'Frie interpreter you require?" Quinne began to smile. "I have the perfect candidate."

They made their way down to the prison yard. Quinne led Ozai around for a few minutes. Eventually, they came across a young girl, not much older than his own daughter, but much smaller. She was pinned down by two large men. One held her torso, the other her legs, while a tiny girl ran around them chattering in an unidentifiable language. The girl pinned down squirmed beneath them, screaming about 17 different curses in the unmistakable Oui'Frie language. The larger of the two slapped her as hard as he could. He leaned down, whispered something into her ear, laughed, then raked his fingernails down one side of her face. He shouted something to his comrades and took off, all laughing hysterically. The girl picked herself off the ash-covered ground , moaned something to herself and began to give chase.

"Riteki!" The girl stopped dead and turned to face Quinne. She saw Ozai, wiped the blood from her face, and strode toward them slowly.

"Aye?" She said with mock sincerity, just a hint of acid leaking into her tone.

"Fire Lord Ozai needs an interpreter."

The girl began to speak to her in Oui'Frie "Ta'k... se'na el'cran fen pem'tar ma yt en'trfae Fire Nation me'fraki en lel'tramse rem." (Translates: You... will insist on placing me and every Fire Nation man in the same room.) she shifted her weight. "Who do ya look fur?"

"We already have him in custody. If you must know, it's Deflea. You may even," Quinne turned her gaze to Bato, who was walking their way. "bring your new friend for security."

The interrogation was over, and after an hour of confusing Oui'Frie, Bato still didn't know what anyone was talking about. The only thing he knew was that Deflea went up the stack for screwing over the Fire Nation. He, Quinne, Ozai, and Riteki were left after the guards dragged Deflea out of the room.

" I want to thank you for interpreting for me." Fire Lord Ozai said, a strange tone in his voice. Riteki looked away from him. His eyes glowed with deadly anticipation. _He's watching her, to see what she does. He's waiting for her to make a wrong move... _He wished he could do something.

" The Avatar will defeat you." Riteki said blatantly, lifting her head to look Ozai in the eyes. _She's playing hardball back, like this is one big game. _Everyone in the room tensed.

Ozai took a deep breath and laughed rising from his seat and beginning to leave the room. "Quinne, your prisoners are so amusing."

Riteki rose, unable to play this mind game any longer. "I hope Avatar Aang kills you! Deflea was my brother! You know exactly what we're going through, you swine, and for that, you should die! She screamed. Ozai turned and blinked in surprise. Bato and Quinne looked at each other. Their eyes both said the same thing. _He's going to kill her. _They looked back at Ozai and Riteki, the gaze between them was enough to melt the whole south pole. He didn't hesitate. He grabbed ahold of the side of her head and threw her against a wall, then left with Quinne not far behind. And for once, Bato could swear, she felt bad for Riteki.

"Riteki, are you alright?" Bato asked once she came to.

"Uh... aye, Ba to. I'm alrite, gunna take mor'n that bastird ta kill me." She said groggily.

He picked her up off the ground and began to carry her to the blocks. She kept insisting that she could walk, so he kept ignoring her. He eventually decided he couldn't get her all the way up to their block, so they slept on the ground where their friends usually sat and talked.


	4. Chapter 4

Bato awoke unusually early the next morning, and yet Riteki still found a way to get up before him. Only 4 other people were awake by that hour. Riteki had her back to him, watching the sun rise.

"Sozin's comet came last night." She told him, back still to him. "You shood 'ave seen it. Avatar Aang beet tse Fire Lord. Tse new Fire Lord is issuing a recall on tse imprisonment of recent war prisn'rs. That's you, Ba to."

He sat next to her and looked her in the eyes. She was the closest to crying he'd ever seen her. He pulled her into his arms and felt her sob against his chest. "I want to thank you for all your help and friendship." He said pulling away.

"Ba to-" He cut her off, putting a finger on her lips and kissed her forehead.

"I owe you one, Riteki."

"I won't be able to collect, Ba to." she said, getting up and leaving.


	5. Chapter 5

Bato led Zuko into the prison, showing him all the living conditions. The young Fire Lord was quiet the whole time. It was a lot to take in, Bato knew personally. Though Zuko didn't seem all too surprised at the fact that his father was committing practical genocide.

"Ba to!" The particular spacing of his name became very familiar to him. He turned to Riteki in time for her to practically bowl him over, with her friends following slowly behind. "You came back." She looked up at him, eyes brimming with tears.

"Zuko, this is Riteki. She was born here. She's only 14, but believe me, she's been through enough to make a grown man cry. She doesn't deserve to be here. No one does."

Zuko was quiet for a long while, contemplating his next move. He nodded slowly, and spotted Warden Quinne. He motioned for her to come over. "Can you do me a favor?" he asked her.

"Of... of course, any thing for the fire lord." She said timidly.

"You're going to set the mindbenders free." He said. Quinne gasped a little, began to open her mouth, then closed it. She bowed and walked away. Riteki's face glowed with gratitude. Without warning, she lunged forward and hugged Zuko. Any other stranger would have been more timid. But after all Riteki had been through, Bato wouldn't have been able to fathom how she could possibly feel fear at all.

The word did not take long to spread throughout the prison. Every last one in the prison was crying, bidding well to their friends, family, and even their foes.

Riteki walked to the tower where the prison staff opened the gates. Quinne was sobbing outside the front gate. Riteki sat before her, and and put a hand on her shoulder.

Quinne looked up and wiped her tears from her face. " Are you here to gloat about your freedom, Riteki?"

"No, I'm 'ere ta comfort you about yours."

"What?"

"I finally get you. You only knew one way to the top. This prison is your world. It's everything to you. You've lost something important to you. That's how I've felt. Everytime, I've had to move on. And learn to let it go. Perhaps you can, too," Riteki scooted closer to Quinne and hugged her. And Quinne hugged back. "Oui'Quinne." That was a name Quinne had not heard spoken to her in a long while. Her original, Oui'Frie name. There was another name neither had heard in many, many years.

"Tar'am, He'Riteki." (Thank you, He'Riteki.)

"So what am I now, Ba to?" Riteki asked, on their way to the Fire Nation on Zuko's ship.

"Free." He answered simply.

"Where do I live?"

"Wherever you wish to live."

"Where can I live?"

Bato gritted his teeth together. "Any where."

"What do I do?"

"Whatever you want." Zuko took over answering questions, obviously amused. "Within reason, of course."

"Who tells me what to do?"

"You do."

Riteki paused for a moment. "Being free sounds hard."

Bato, tired of her asking stupid questions, spoke up. "Riteki, do you remember when I first came to the prison? What did you do? You taught me how to live there. In those conditions, under captivity. Perhaps it's time I returned the favor. Come live with me, and I will teach you how to live in freedom."

"...kay!" She said, finally stopping her questions. "It's been a long morning." She remarked,m putting her head back where Bato had his arm resting on back of the chair and closed her eyes. He made no move to back out.

"Yes, it has." He agreed, following Riteki's lead.


	6. Epilouge

_9 years later..._

Riteki gazed worriedly out the window at the horizon, golden from the autumn weather next to the dark grey clouds of an oncoming storm, ready to block out the sun. She remembered the first time she actually saw the sun and laughed at how scared of it she had been. She stepped outside and looked around, finding her husband in due time downhill playing with their two children.

"Bato! Get the kids inside before someone gets hit by lightning!" Bato peeked out from under a squirming dog pile of five year olds.

"Alright, kiddies, fun's over. Mom wants you inside."

"But dad!"

Bato picked himself up off the ground and held his hands up. "Hey, I'm defenseless. I learned early that mom's are always right."

Trista and Li ran inside as their dad followed a bit slower. Riteki chuckled at the sight, still standing in the doorway. "Aren't you getting a bit old for rough play like that?" She joked.

"I'll show you old." He brushed a lock of her auburn hair out of her face and leand down to kiss her.

"Eeew." Trista and Li said in unison, then giggled.

Bato and Riteki both looked at them.

Riteki smiled. "Don't you two have a Pai Sho game to play or something?"


End file.
